Would you recognize your friend's handwriting?

Would you recognize your friend’s handwriting? As technology becomes ubiquitous in communication culture, handwritten letters and notes are less and less common, replaced instead by emails and text messages. Diaries full of handwritten accounts lose out to blog posts, the art of handwriting is dying.

In “The Missing Ink,” author Philip Hensher tells the story of the “endangered” art, going back into handwriting’s history to examine how people learn this skill and what impact it has on their lives. Charming and accessible, Hensher’s book is inspired by the author’s quest to know his own friends’ writing, and to prevent himself and his readers from losing one of the ways we recognize each other.Hensher celebrates the rich history of handwriting, but also the act of writing itself.

With only five states requiring handwriting be taught in schools, is this medium dying? Is the loss of handwriting worth mourning, or should we embrace type for its legibility and ease? With handwriting playing less of a role in expression, will people be judged by what they say regardless of how their writing looks? 

Philip Hensher, author of “The Missing Ink” (Faber & Faber), columnist for The Independent, arts critic for The Spectator, and one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists; his other books include “The Mulberry Empire,” “King of the Badgers,” and “The Northern Clemency”;

Hand guns on display at a gun shop. Credit: Joshua Lott/Getty Images

The recent massacre in Newtown, Connecticut has reignited the gun control debate in the United States to a height rarely seen, but whether or not the debate will result in any legislative action remains to be observed. The shooting is only the most recent of a string of horrific incidents of gun violence spanning back to the 1999 Columbine shootings. In 2007, 32 people were killed in a mass shooting at Virginia Tech; 13 were fatally shot at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas in 2009; a killing spree in Arizona last year resulted in six deaths; and 12 lives ended in a movie theater in Colorado earlier this year.

Despite the fact that mass shootings have become more frequent and more deadly, popular support of gun rights has actually increased, according to Pew Research Center polls. Additionally, background checks for gun purchases have nearly doubled to 16.8 million in the last decade, according to the FBI.

Now, elected leaders across the country, including President Obama, are calling for change. Following his promise on Friday of “meaningful action,” Obama on Sunday night said, "In the coming weeks, I will use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens -- from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators -- in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this," while speaking at a prayer vigil in Newtown. California Senator Dianne Feinstein pledged Sunday to introduce new gun-control legislation at the beginning of next year’s congressional session, while speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Despite their very public condemnations and insistence for stricter gun control, few politicians have been specific about how new laws will effectively prevent tragedies like the one in the Newtown.

Do we need more extensive background checks? Is a reinstitution of the federal assault weapons bans needed? Or would an increased waiting period to obtain firearms help stop mass shootings?

Adam Winkler, Constitutional law professor at UCLA; author of Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America (2011); writer for The Huffington Post & Daily Beast

Chuck Michel, Attorney for the National Rifle Association, Author of a new book, "California Gun Laws: A guide to state and federal firearm regulations"

Ben Van Houten, Staff Attorney, Legal Community Against Violence based in San Francisco

A child poses during Yoga Education for Kids class in Santa Monica, California. In January, Encinitas School District will introduce the most comprehensive yoga program in public schools. Credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Is teaching yoga in public schools a violation of the separation of church and state? The Encinitas Union School District is launching what is believed to be the country’s largest public school yoga program, but the district already faces the threat of a lawsuit.

Parents opposed to the yoga program say they believe their children could be indoctrinated into eastern religion, and that yoga is not just a regular P.E. exercise. The yoga program began in several Encinitas schools in September, and will reach the rest of the district in January. Full-time yoga instructors will teach 30-minute classes to about 5,000 students – the size of the Encinitas program is revolutionary – other public school yoga programs are limited to after school classes or are unique to individual schools and classes.

Those who support the yoga curriculum argue that yoga is a great way to increase strength and flexibility, and that it can help with stress and focus. Even though instructors have omitted any references to eastern religions, some parents still say that the yoga classes are “inherently spiritual,” and go against their religious beliefs.

Is yoga a religious practice? Where is the line between spirituality and religion? Is a curriculum centered on spiritual meditation appropriate in public schools?

Wehtahnah Tucker, lawyer and EncinitasPatch freelance reporter who was in the school board meeting on December 4th  

Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner H. Wayne Carver II talks to the media and answers questions about the elementary school shooting during a press conference at Treadwell Memorial Park on December 15, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

 In the days since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut that took the lives of 20 children and 6 adults, media outlets have given the story nearly wall-to-wall coverage. However, not all media coverage is created equal. Early on, there were mistakes in the reports which misidentified the shooter and incorrectly painted his mother as a teacher at the elementary school. This is not uncharacteristic of early coverage in the wake of a story of this magnitude.

The media made mistakes beyond just factual information, there were also issues taken with matters of taste. For instance, even KPCC itself was suspect. While some listeners praised the station’s reporting for its passion and sensitivity, it was also harshly criticized by some who felt carrying the CNN feed of children being interviewed constituted a “pornography of suffering.” When it comes to stories like this, some people believe they shouldn’t be covered at all, as all they do is glorify the killers. But other swaths of the public want and need to know what happened for their own peace of mind.

So how should the media best deal with this? What would you like to see more or less of in your news coverage? What crosses the line? What doesn’t go far enough?

Craig Curtis, program director and managing editor of news programs, KPCC

David Folkenflik, NPR's media correspondent based in New York City

In this photo illustration, the photo-sharing app Instagram fan page is seen on the Facebook website on the Apple Safari web browser on April 9, 2012 in New York City. Facebook Inc. is acquiring photo-sharing app Instagram for approx. $1 billion. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

UPDATE: In response to public concents, Instagram has released a statement clearing up confusion about their new policy. Read the statement here.

On January 16th, the social media photo-sharing site Instagram could get a lot less fun. Instagram has long been successful amongst users (there are over 30 million accounts and 1 billion photographs have been uploaded thus far), due to its ability to capture, enhance and share images on the Internet.

Through the use of an app, a smartphone’s camera and Instagram’s many different image filters, users have been able to take photos that are as aesthetically pleasing as those taken with expensive, professional cameras. But a recent announcement made by the company could cause people not to be so fast with the shutter finger. On January 16th, 2013, Instragram’s parent company, Facebook, will legally be allowed to license all public Instagram photos to companies and other organizations. That’s right, Facebook will be able to sell your photos to companies, which in turn can use them for marketing and advertising purposes, without providing you with any monetary compensation.

In practice, this simply turns Instagram into the world’s largest compilation of stock photographs. But wait, the people in the images may not want to be considered stock, and the users which took the pictures probably feel some sort of ownership over the content and don’t want them being sold without their permission and without getting anything out of it. For now, it looks like if you don’t like Instagram’s policy, you need to disable your account, as there is no opt-out option. As one might expect, users are not happy.

How is the company responding to the intense public criticism of its new rules and regulations? Are you fine with your images being used without your permission? Is that simply the new normal given today’s technological landscape? How awkward is it going to be when a company uses one of your Instagram photos to advertise to you on Facebook? 

Declan McCullagh, Chief Political Correspondent for CNET - tech news website

U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) (2nd L) speaks as House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) (L) and House Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) (R) listens during a media availability after a House Republican Conference meeting December 18, 2012 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Speaker Boehner announced that he is moving to a plan B to solve the fiscal cliff issue and he will put a bill on the floor that increases taxes for people whose incomes are more than one million dollars. Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

As Americans prepare to put 2012 behind them and ring in the new year, one big, dark, looming, uncertainty still remains on the horizon… the fiscal cliff. Earlier today, House Speaker John Boehner’s recommendation for a fallback plan to avoid the cliff was rejected by the White House.

In recent months, there has been more frequent speculation, punditry, and dooming predictions about what could happen if Republicans and Democrats in Washington D.C. are unable to agree on how to avoiding the fiscal cliff before January 1. But what exactly is the fiscal cliff and what would falling off of it mean for average Americans?

Simply put, the fiscal cliff is a series of tax increases and government spending cuts set to automatically take place in January, in the event that no other fiscal policy is enacted before that time. If this happens, according to the non-partisan Tax Policy Institute, tax rates would increase by an average of 4 percent or $3,346 (depending on the tax bracket); at least tens of thousands of American jobs would be lost; and the average paycheck would be lowered by about $50 per month due to the expiration of Social Security and Medicare tax reductions.

Jobs that are primarily paid for by federal revenue would be most at risk for elimination, including 7,240 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security officer jobs, 2,200 air-traffic controller jobs, and 6,800 Border Patrol jobs among others, according to Representative Norm Dicks (D-Wash), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. Estimations of how the Aerospace industry would be impacted by defense spending cuts vary, but as many as 500,000 jobs in that sector could be cut, many of which are based in Florida.

Are Congress and the White House overlooking how the fiscal cliff will impact the average citizen? How would the U.S. economy be able to persevere if it does fall off of the fiscal cliff?

Doyle McManus, Washington Columnist, covering national and international politics, Los Angeles Times

Matt DeBord, KPCC Reporter; writes the DeBord Report KPCC.org

A for sale sign is seen in front of a home on January 25, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Last week, the Los Angeles Public Safety Committee unanimously passed the Community Care Facilities Ordinance. The proposal, put forth by L.A. City Councilman Mitch Englander (District 12, San Fernando Valley) would severely limit or outright eliminate shared housing in certain areas of Los Angeles. The main focus is on neighborhoods with single-family homes, which are mostly found in suburban areas, many of which are found in Englander’s San Fernando Valley district.

The new law would change the city’s definition of “boarding house” to include any homes with three or more leases, requiring them to obtain a license, and it would force more oversight on licensed group homes housing seven or more people. Many community groups and neighborhood authorities applaud Englander’s measure, as these types of living situations often bring along headaches for the neighbors. But critics feel that the proposal disenfranchises former inmates, those with disabilities, the impoverished and people seeking drug rehabilitation, all of which are groups that live in these shared houses because it’s the best they can do given their financial situation. Opponents also cite how Englander is targeting L.A. suburbs in the Valley, but would still allow for these homes in Downtown, South and East Los Angeles, all of which have less single-family homes.

Critics are crying foul, saying that this is classic NIMBY-ism. Furthermore, they have accused Englander of exploiting the recent Northridge shootings which were committed by a former felon who lived in one such boarding house. This proposal has been tabled for five years, but opponents are convinced that Englander is simply stoking fear to get it back on the books. It faces a full council vote in January.

Where do you stand on this issue? Has your community been negatively affected by these types of living conditions? Do you live in shared housing? Who are the major players on both sides?

Adam Murray, Executive Director of the Inner City Law Center, the only provider of legal services on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, ICLC combats slum housing while developing strategies to end homelessness.

David Reid, Hollywood resident living next to a shared living house with 18 people, and member of Melrose Action, an informal neighborhood authority

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) announces the creation of an interagency task force for guns as Vice President Joseph Biden listens in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on December 19, 2012 in Washington, DC. President Obama announced that he is making an administration-wide effort to solve gun violence and has tapped Vice President Joe Biden to lead an interagency task force in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

President Barack Obama vowed Wednesday to take direct action against gun violence, as he launched a panel led by Vice President Joe Biden aimed at promptly determining tactics for preventing mass shootings like the one in Newtown, Connecticut.

The new task force is expected to produce “concrete proposals” by January that Obama said he “intend[s] to push without delay.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also announced a task force of her own on Wednesday that would be led by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and would also focus on reducing gun violence.

Lawmakers in California are also jumping into action to improve gun control laws after the Newtown massacre, including state senators Leland Yee and Kevin de Leon. Yee on Tuesday introduced a bill that would, among other safety precautions, prohibit gun owners from using devices known as “bullet buttons” or “mag magnets,” which allow semi-automatic weapons to be easily reloaded with multiple rounds of ammunition. De Leon, a Democrat from Los Angeles, affirmed he would introduce a proposal this week requiring ammunition buyers to get permits issued by the United States Department of Justice.

How effective will these new efforts to prevent gun violence be? Are the renewed calls for stricter gun regulations just rhetoric or will they really lead to concrete results?

Kitty Felde, KPCC’s Washington D.C. correspondent

Leland Yee, California Democratic State Senator representing California’s 8th District, including half of San Francisco and most of San Mateo County

Kevin de Leon, California Democratic State Senator representing California's 22nd Senate District, which includes Los Angeles, Alhambra, East Los Angeles, Florence-Graham, Maywood, San Marino, South Pasadena, Vernon, and Walnut Park

Sam Paredes, a member of the Board of Directors, Gun Owners of California

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers a speech at Dublin City University in Ireland on December 6, 2012. Clinton is dedicated to revealing as much information as possible about the 9/11 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. Credit: Kevin Lamarque/AFP/Getty Images

The Accountability Review Board, an independent investigation panel, has concluded that the State Department’s failures resulted in poor security at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. According to the report, there were systemic problems at the management level, which opened up the diplomatic mission to vulnerabilities.

Twenty-nine recommendations were made to improve security, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approved all of them. While the report comes down harshly on the State Department’s flaws, it did not single out any individual officials as shirking or violating their responsibilities, and thus made no call for disciplinary punishment. The Accountability Review Board is mandated by law whenever an official is killed during a diplomatic mission overseas, but its findings are not required to be made public or sent to lawmakers.

Despite this, Clinton is dedicated to revealing as much information as possible. But is that such a smart move? Three department officials have resigned in the wake of the report. Why? How were they involved? Most importantly, what’s going to happen to Hillary Clinton? If she was harboring any presidential ambitions in 2016, what are her chances now? How will this play out politically for both parties?

Anne Gearan, Diplomatic Correspondent for the Washington Post

David Mark, Politix, Editor-in-Chief and author, “Going Dirty: The Art of Negative Campaigning” (2006, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers)

Richard Gere poses during a photocall for the movie Arbitrage on December 4, 2012 in Paris. Credit: ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty Images

Richard Gere says critical reception of his role of hedge fund manager Robert Miller in the film “Arbitrage” was not even a factor when he decided to star in the film about a desperate New York businessman; nevertheless, the Oscar bees are buzzing.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has already nominated Gere for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his performance in the film, which is often indicative of a forthcoming Academy Award nomination. Oscar nominations will not be announced until January 10, but some critics are citing Gere’s performance as one of the best of his career.

If Gere does snag an Oscar nomination, it would be the first in the 63-year-old actors nearly 40-year career. Listen in as Richard Gere joins host Larry Mantle to talk about the movie’s unexpected critical praise, working with first-time director Nicholas Jarecki and more.

Richard Gere, actor currently seen in “Arbitrage”

Interview Highlights:

On why Gere chose to do the film “Arbitrage”:
"It worked on so many different levels, it was a really good script all the way around. It was timely, it spoke to our era, this character was kind of those iconic zeitgeist characters that speak of the era and represent what we’re all going through. And it was a beautifully written script.”

On the challenge of playing the character Robert Miller:
“If you trust the storytelling, and it's just to be alive and awake in the process and give yourself fully to it. It was written with a lot of energy and a lot of drive, there's a ticking clock all the way through it. So I think to keep the freshness of it, keep clear of all the balls that are being juggled. I have to be aware of that all the time.”

On how Gere approached the challenges of each scene:
“That's just my job, at this point I don't have to think about it too much, that's just what I do. The hardest thing for me, frankly, was to keep clear were the injuries from the accident, and making sure all the way through the movie we were showing that in the right way. Not to dominate scenes, but to keep it on the right level. That was a little tricky.”

On the process as an actor:
“There's a lot of work that one does, its studying, its observing people, its knowing what the job is. But the human stuff is more emotional observation of other people as it resonates through my own emotions. It's being alive to the story and feeling trusting enough to bring my own personal background to it and my own emotions to it but also the kind of the collective emotions of us as human beings.”

On the duality Gere’s character exudes throughout the film:
“When we first started screening this I had friends of mine calling up really angry with me, who were rooting for this guy at the same time they knew he was such a scumbag. And I think part of my job is to present a human being. As we all know, once you meet people we can be appalled by them, but I think we recognize everyone is going through a human dilemma of some kind. We see ourselves in each other. And these characters are mirrors. That’s my job is to hold up a mirror to what it’s like to be a human being with all those faults and all of the joy too.”

On Gere’s previous knowledge and interest in the subject matter prior to the filming:
"No I didn't have any interest in it. My own finances were managed by someone who was extremely conservative, so I really didn't have any interface with this world at all. And I'm not a gambler, either, I don't have that kind of instinct. But I'm looking for human beings here, I'm looking for motivations. Where do people come from, what kind of people are that? I can't play a job description, there's no juice in it, but you can play emotional backgrounds, psychological backgrounds, what do people want, what is happiness to them and what are the tools available to them to achieve their version or their vision of happiness. and then you put them in a world of causes and conditions that rub up against them and force them. We have a lot of them in this movie, of situations, of causes and conditions that reveal this guy in a deeper way than he would ever know himself otherwise."

On how, nowadays, Gere chooses what type of film he wants to be involved in:
“Its harder and harder to find these kind of scripts that are based on characters, people, language, ideas that don’t rely on the kind of larger cartoony approaches, which I like a lot of those films too. But this is the type of film that of course actors love to make. Because its all about people talking to each other, behaving. The camera wants to see what you’re thinking, wants to be there when something is happening and to see how a human being reacts to something that is relatable to the world that we live in.”

On if this type of film facilitates Gere to get to a deeper place:
“I think there a magic to storytelling. The movie that Julia and I made, ‘Pretty Woman’ has talked to the whole planet. People were touched and moved by that. There was a certain magic in that movie. And I don’t discount that. And I don’t say that this is better because its more serious. And I can’t say that it’s more fun or more creative, it’s different. A movie like ‘Pretty Woman’ that does work and has some kind of mysterious primal thing going for it, I’m as delighted by that as I am by anything.”

A doctor uses a stethoscope on a patient on September 5, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Adam Berry/Getty Images

AirTalk continues our semi-regular series looking at the top health stories, fads and frustrations facing patients and doctors.  Today, Larry is joined by Dr. Mark Lachs to discuss the phenomenon of how elderly couples can begin fighting after a medical scare.   

Dr. Lachs will join Larry to take your questions and calls – no health insurance or appointment necessary.

Mark Lachs, M.D., Director of Geriatrics for the New York Presbyterian Health Care System; physician, scientist, and gerontologist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City; author, "Treat Me, Not My Age: A Doctor’s Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older" (Viking Press)

Credit: © 2012 Los Angeles Times

Before a recipe for snowflake pretzel rods, lemony moons and stars, chunky apple pancakes or shitakes on toast can grace the pages of the Los Angeles Times it gets tested, tasted, tweaked and re-tested in their spacious test kitchen.

Each perfectly-styled recipe is then whisked into the nearby photo studio for its Hollywood close-up. The Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen is one of very few such facilities still in existence at daily metropolitan news publications. They test more than 600 recipes on average per year. But only 400 make it to print.

This year, the folks behind all the fabulous food have two new e-books including “Holiday Handbook” and “Holiday Cookies,” gift ideas for the cook in your life and all kinds of seasonal favorites to dish about.

Are you looking for some last minute cooking advice? How about some homemade holiday gift ideas? Well, you’ve come to the right place. L.A. Times Food Editor Russ Parsons, and Test Kitchen Chef Noelle Carter join Larry in studio to answer all your culinary questions.

Russ Parsons, L.A. Times Food Editor, “The California Cook” columnist; author of “How to Pick a Peach” and “How to Read a French Fry”

Noelle Carter, L.A. Times Test Kitchen Manager & Chef; “Culinary SOS” columnist

In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., following a reported shooting there Friday, Dec. 14, 2012. Credit: AP Photo/Newtown Bee, Shannon Hicks

 Following the Sandy Hook massacre, national discussion about how to prevent future attacks is on the rise. But for many Americans, the effects of Sandy Hook and other similar shootings are about more than prevention.

Schools nationwide saw an increase in security following the mass shooting. In the past, similar responses to other high-profile incidents have inspired reforms to airport security, malls, movie theaters, and other public places. The Department of Homeland Security has put out a pocket size guide for how to act in the unlikely event of a shooting – several other groups have published their own advice. The general consensus? Evacuate, hide, and if there’s no way to avoid confrontation, act as aggressively as possible. If an attacker is armed with a knife instead of a gun, most security advisors say running away is the best option.

What’s the best way to protect yourself if you are under attack? What would you do in this kind of emergency? Is increasing awareness around this issue necessary, or does it cause unnecessary fear?

(L-R) Actor Bradley Cooper, actress Jennifer Lawrence and director David O. Russell attend a screening of The Weinstein Company's "Silver Linings Playbook" at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on November 19, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

David O. Russell is receiving significant praise for his work on the film “Silver Linings Playbook,” which the filmmaker both adapted from Matthew Quick’s debut novel of the same name and directed.

“Silver Linings Playbook” tells the story of a former teacher suffering from bipolar disorder and who moves back in with his parents following a stint in a mental institution. Russell’s 18-year-old son happens to suffer from bipolar disorder, so the story hits close to home for him. The main character, Pat Solitano, was nearly cast with other leading men including Mark Wahlberg and Vince Vaughn before Bradley Cooper landed the role opposite “Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence. "Pat's hunger and determination to reintroduce himself were matched perfectly by Bradley's determination as a performer who hadn't shown many of his dimensions," Russell told the Los Angeles Times.

After navigating movie awards season, Russell will get to work on his next untitled film project about an FBI sting operation set in the 1970s that leads to the conviction of United States Congressmen. Listen in as David O. Russell joins Larry to discuss working on “Silver Linings Playbook” and more.

David O. Russell, Writer & Director, “Silver Linings Playbook”

Toyota's 2012 Camry and Prius received the lowest crash test rating. Do you consider safety ratings when buying a new car? Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

After performing poorly in recent crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Toyota’s 2013 Camry and Prius V models both received the lowest safety ratings handed out by the organization. IIHS simulated severe front-end collisions, where a vehicle would crash into another car, tree, or pole. The two Toyota models were the only cars to be given a ‘poor’ rating in the IIHS’s mid-size family cars crash test.

The crash test results are seemingly the latest round of bad PR for Toyota. On Tuesday, Toyota was ordered to pay more than $17 million in fines for delaying a recall related to acceleration problems in their Lexus RX model. Toyota’s reputation as a reliable car at an affordable price could soon come into doubt after their recent quality issues.

Do you take safety tests into account when purchasing a car? How do you balance safety and affordability?

Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst at Edmunds.com

Jacom Tomsky's "Heads in Beds"

What goes on behind the scenes in the hotel industry? “Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality” written by veteran luxury hotel employee Jacob Tomsky.

Tomsky’s insider access to hotel tricks and secrets makes for a fascinating confessional – he takes readers outside their hotel room doors and into the world of bellhops, housekeepers, valet, and concierge. On top of a behind the scenes look into the luxury hospitality industry’s dirty laundry, Tomsky offers up tips and explanations for navigating your home away from home.

Have you ever had a standout hotel experience, good or bad? How do you tip when you’re traveling? Do you wonder what goes on behind closed doors in luxury hotels? Tomsky joins Larry to discuss what really goes into profiting from putting heads in beds.


Guest:

Jacob Tomsky, veteran of the hospitality business and author of Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality (Doubleday)

A GM assembly line in Lansing, Mich. Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it will be selling 200 million shares of General Motors stock back to GM over the next fifteen months. The stocks will be bought starting at $27.50 a share, and if that price stays basically constant, it will total about 12 to 14 billion dollars for the Treasury. However, that’s 21.6 billion dollars short of the government’s bailout funds which need to be repaid.

Some, especially initial critics of the auto bailout, claim that the American taxpayers are seen as losing out on this deal. Also, they stress that if the company was able to simply file for bankruptcy, their competitors could have benefited from some fresh talent, which could have been better for the domestic auto industry in the long run. But supporters of the auto bailout continue to back the government’s involvement, despite selling these stocks back at a loss. That’s because they cite the fact that the bailout saved 1.5 million jobs, an entire domestic industry and several communities which depend on General Motors for their entire survival.

What side do you take? Is it fair for taxpayers to foot the bill for one industry, even if it is seen as a cornerstone of America? Is this the price we pay for letting the financial industry crash in the way it did? What are the pros and cons as we see now how this all is playing out?

Dan Ikenson, director of Cato’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies

Sean McAlinden, Chief Economist at the Center for Automotive Research

A sky caiman vomits water on one of the last pages of the 12th-century Dresden Codex, also known as the "Codex Dresdensis", one of four historic Mayan manuscripts that still exist in the world and that together suggest modern civilization will come to an end on December 21, at the Saxon State Library on November 8, 2012 in Dresden, Germany. The documents enumerate the Mayan calendar, which will complete its 13th cycle on December 21, 2012 and many people across the globe are interpreting the calendar to mean impending global devastation and the birth of a new order are near. Credit: Joern Haufe/Getty Images

 In Mumbai, Tokyo and Sydney it's already Dec. 21! Technically this version of end-of-world prophecies is scheduled to coincide with the Winter solstice — still 16 hours away (Friday 3:12 a.m. PST). Mayan elders from Mexico, Belize and Guatemala have been dispatched to present a slightly contrary view of doomsday. "A better world is possible! ... as we enter the age of the fifth sun," is how one elder put it.

Academics say it's merely the end of one cosmological cycle, and more importantly, the beginning of another. NASA also takes the sunnier view. In their "Why the World Won't End" FAQ sheet they explain the origins of the latest paranoia: "The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth.

This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012 and linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012."These (slightly scarier) forecasts that the world will in fact continue hasn't reached some in China where 93 people were detained this week for spreading rumors of apocalypse.

Why did this prediction catch on across the planet -- even cutting across religious differences? On a serious note, what harm is caused by doomsday cries? Will you celebrate to mark the date?

Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and Executive Director of the Skeptics Society

Lisa T. McElroy, Professor of Law,  Drexel University, and freelance travel writer, speaking with us from the Cayo region in the rainforest of Belize

Still from the film "Zero Dark Thirty" starring Jessica Chastain.

Larry is joined by KPCC film critics Claudia Puig, Andy Klein, and Henry Sheenhan to review the week's new film releases including Zero Dark Thirty, The Impossible, Not Fade Away, On the Road, This Is 40 and more.TGI-FilmWeek!

Zero Dark Thirty:

On the Road:

The Impossible:

Not Fade Away:

This is 40:

Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA Today

Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and the L.A. Times Community Papers chain

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and dearhenrysheehan.com

National Rifle Association (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre waves off questions from the media as he walks by a video screen illustrating the NRA's proposed National School Shield, December 21, 2012, in Washington, DC, on the one week anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. The United States' most powerful pro-gun lobbying group, the National Rifle Association, called Friday for armed police or security guards to be deployed to every school in the country. Credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

One week ago today, the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut sparked an outcry to renew the national conversation on gun control which has reached all the way up to the nation’s highest office.  The National Rifle Association responded by holding a press conference this morning, aired live on news outlets nationwide.

In his speech, Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre invoked the Sandy Hook tragedy, saying that we as a nation have fallen short in protecting “the most beloved, innocent and vulnerable members of the American family - our children.”  He laid blame on everything from video games to Hollywood movies to the news media for glorifying violence and bestowing fame on killers.  And he called on Congress to immediately put armed police officers in every school.  “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun,” said LaPierre, “is a good guy with a gun.”  He also announced a new NRA-funded program that would enlist retired police, military reservists, firefighters and rescue personnel among its membership, train and deploy them to school campuses.

LaPierre was interrupted twice by protesters who held up anti-NRA signs in front of the camera while shouting that “the NRA is killing our children.”  The NRA’s proposed solution to school shootings is in direct opposition to those who want less, not more, guns available in our society.

How has the Sandy Hook tragedy changed your thoughts on gun control?  Do you think armed, trained officers belong on school campuses?  Is there any way to legislate against tragedies like Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and Columbine? 

Adam Winkler, Constitutional law professor at UCLA; author of Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America (2011); writer for The Huffington Post & Daily Beast

Sam Paredes, executive director, Gun Owners of California

Carol Kocivar, President, California State Parent Teacher Association

Warren Fletcher, President, United Teachers of Los Angeles

Christopher Ferguson, Associate Professor of Clinical and Forensic Psychology, Texas A&M International

Brad Bushman, professor of communication and psychology at The Ohio State University

RELATED: Chart: California's gun control efforts vs federal gun laws

Read LaPierre's comments below and scroll down to take our poll:

NRA Press Conference Transcript